IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the editor for Monday, July 29 2013

Published: Monday, July 29, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 11:51 p.m.

Presumptions

With regard to the letter in the July 26 paper titled “Trayvon and George” that starts out “Just the facts people,” I really do have to laugh.

The writer states:

“I have read letter after letter in which people — who obviously want Martin to be guilty of something so they can justify their own personal beliefs — have made statements about Martin initiating a fight when there is not one shred of evidence that this is what happened. If you people want to make up stuff, that’s fine. Just don’t state it as fact.”

And then the writer goes on to make some obvious assumptions of her own, the first of which is that she wonders why George Zimmerman would follow Trayvon Martin without identifying himself as neighborhood watch.

How does she know he didn’t?

Second, she presupposes to know what Zimmerman was thinking in her statement that perhaps he was more bold than normal because he was carrying a loaded weapon and further the he assumed that Martin was guilty of something.

It must be nice to be able to read people’s minds and know, without a doubt, what they think and why.

I point all this out because during the entire charade of Martin vs. Zimmerman people from both sides have been doing this. The most erroneous of all is the presumption that Zimmerman was prejudiced and racist.

That kind of psychological projection and presumptuous arrogance is perhaps the single biggest driver in most of the conflicts in our society today.

James Davis

Silver Springs

Angry taxpayer

I am not trying to be disrespectful, but I have to tell it like I see it. The County Commission is going to review and decide if Silver Springs should get a tax hike. Have they lost their minds? Shame on them.

There have been so many foreclosures — the Star-Banner had page after page of unpaid property taxes. What’s wrong with this picture? Higher taxes will only create more unpaid taxes, and result in loss of more homes that we work so hard for. But the ones with the means will snatch them up.

Stop looking into how to spend more money. Tighten your belts like we have to. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I guess if we had your income, there would be no problem. But remember, election time will come around again.

Stop and think hard about what you are thinking of doing because you are going to hurt a lot people. What do you expect senior citizens to do, and the young adults that purchased in the hopes of owning their own home that are struggling now to make ends meet? With higher car and property insurance, gas, food, electric ... the list goes on and on ... why would you consider adding to the problem? And by the way, who in their right mind would want to build or buy property in Silver Springs with the threat of higher taxes?

Barbara DeFelippi

Silver Springs

The American way

The Associated Press article “Stand your ground repeals unlikely” (July 22) offers two versions of jury instructions. The old version would read that Zimmerman “cannot justify his use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm if by retreating he could have avoided the need to use that force.”

As I understand the old law, Zimmerman would have had to prove he could not retreat. That conflicts with our legal system standard of innocent until proven guilty. Under the old law, the state could declare guilt because a defendant did not retreat. Under the new law, the state must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant’s actions were not a reasonable use of deadly force. The defendant needs to prove nothing.

To say “It’s probably the emptiest threat ever uttered (God’s wrath) ...” and to characterize God as an “imaginary being” are affronts to the 265 million Americans who do believe in God. These allusions are also completely untrue.

Another untruth: “The United States was not established on Christian principles.” Truthfully, America was built on the strong Christian principles the founders were imbued with when they penned the Constitution. Those principles — while deliberately not included in the Constitution — were instilled in the hearts and minds of the founders and were the driving force behind America’s need for a Constitution.

Still another untruth: “... the Constitution (does) not endorse a particular religion. A curious oversight?” Truthfully, the founders intentionally omitted any reference to “religion” from the Constitution since its inclusion would have been inappropriate to creating a secular nation.

There’s more: “... we have enough real problems (God’s wrath not being one) to cope with.” Truthfully, a problem is that many politicians simply ignore the power of God. Also many citizens.

When these facts are coupled with the unwillingness of this administration, Congress and the courts to deal with the issues, the “real problems” emerge.

Since our politicians and judges can’t/won’t deal with these problems, we, the people, must compel them to.

Our tools are prayer, faith and persistence. God provides the guidance and inspiration.

<p><strong>Presumptions</strong></p><p>With regard to the letter in the July 26 paper titled “Trayvon and George” that starts out “Just the facts people,” I really do have to laugh.</p><p>The writer states:</p><p>“I have read letter after letter in which people — who obviously want Martin to be guilty of something so they can justify their own personal beliefs — have made statements about Martin initiating a fight when there is not one shred of evidence that this is what happened. If you people want to make up stuff, that's fine. Just don't state it as fact.”</p><p>And then the writer goes on to make some obvious assumptions of her own, the first of which is that she wonders why George Zimmerman would follow Trayvon Martin without identifying himself as neighborhood watch.</p><p>How does she know he didn't?</p><p>Second, she presupposes to know what Zimmerman was thinking in her statement that perhaps he was more bold than normal because he was carrying a loaded weapon and further the he assumed that Martin was guilty of something.</p><p>It must be nice to be able to read people's minds and know, without a doubt, what they think and why.</p><p>I point all this out because during the entire charade of Martin vs. Zimmerman people from both sides have been doing this. The most erroneous of all is the presumption that Zimmerman was prejudiced and racist.</p><p>That kind of psychological projection and presumptuous arrogance is perhaps the single biggest driver in most of the conflicts in our society today.</p><p><em>James Davis</p><p>Silver Springs</em></p><p><strong>Angry taxpayer</strong></p><p>I am not trying to be disrespectful, but I have to tell it like I see it. The County Commission is going to review and decide if Silver Springs should get a tax hike. Have they lost their minds? Shame on them.</p><p>There have been so many foreclosures — the Star-Banner had page after page of unpaid property taxes. What's wrong with this picture? Higher taxes will only create more unpaid taxes, and result in loss of more homes that we work so hard for. But the ones with the means will snatch them up.</p><p>Stop looking into how to spend more money. Tighten your belts like we have to. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I guess if we had your income, there would be no problem. But remember, election time will come around again.</p><p>Stop and think hard about what you are thinking of doing because you are going to hurt a lot people. What do you expect senior citizens to do, and the young adults that purchased in the hopes of owning their own home that are struggling now to make ends meet? With higher car and property insurance, gas, food, electric ... the list goes on and on ... why would you consider adding to the problem? And by the way, who in their right mind would want to build or buy property in Silver Springs with the threat of higher taxes?</p><p><em>Barbara DeFelippi</p><p>Silver Springs</em></p><p><strong>The American way</strong></p><p>The Associated Press article “Stand your ground repeals unlikely” (July 22) offers two versions of jury instructions. The old version would read that Zimmerman “cannot justify his use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm if by retreating he could have avoided the need to use that force.”</p><p>As I understand the old law, Zimmerman would have had to prove he could not retreat. That conflicts with our legal system standard of innocent until proven guilty. Under the old law, the state could declare guilt because a defendant did not retreat. Under the new law, the state must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant's actions were not a reasonable use of deadly force. The defendant needs to prove nothing.</p><p>The new law is now, in my opinion, consistent with our legal system.</p><p><em>Richard A Minzenberger</p><p>Ocala</em></p><p><strong>A Christian nation</strong></p><p>What about the truth?</p><p>“What wrath?” (July 8) was colorfully written, but offensive and completely untrue.</p><p>To say “It's probably the emptiest threat ever uttered (God's wrath) ...” and to characterize God as an “imaginary being” are affronts to the 265 million Americans who do believe in God. These allusions are also completely untrue.</p><p>Another untruth: “The United States was not established on Christian principles.” Truthfully, America was built on the strong Christian principles the founders were imbued with when they penned the Constitution. Those principles — while deliberately not included in the Constitution — were instilled in the hearts and minds of the founders and were the driving force behind America's need for a Constitution.</p><p>Still another untruth: “... the Constitution (does) not endorse a particular religion. A curious oversight?” Truthfully, the founders intentionally omitted any reference to “religion” from the Constitution since its inclusion would have been inappropriate to creating a secular nation.</p><p>There's more: “... we have enough real problems (God's wrath not being one) to cope with.” Truthfully, a problem is that many politicians simply ignore the power of God. Also many citizens.</p><p>When these facts are coupled with the unwillingness of this administration, Congress and the courts to deal with the issues, the “real problems” emerge.</p><p>Since our politicians and judges can't/won't deal with these problems, we, the people, must compel them to.</p><p>Our tools are prayer, faith and persistence. God provides the guidance and inspiration.</p><p>God is unquestionably all around us. Please open your hearts to Him.</p><p><em>Joe O'Hara</p><p>Ocala</em></p>